The performance of fast power controlled cellular multiple access systems where large numbers of users share the same carrier frequency, such as code division multiple access (CDMA) communication systems, are not well characterized and/or controlled by prior art techniques. The reason is due to the many nuances presented by such a CDMA communication system. For example, unlike conventional cellular multiple access systems, in a CDMA communication system as power is shared on the carrier among the users, adjustments take place which constantly change both base-station and mobile station transmit powers, and hence the noise seen at both the base-station and mobile station change many times per second over a wide range. Another reason is that localized delay spread conditions can profoundly affect both the sensitivity performance of the receivers in the CDMA communication system, and also, in turn, affect the power control settings at each base-station and mobile station.
Related to the above is the fact that radio performance and transmit power are profoundly affected by the feature of soft handoff, where a mobile station may transmit to, and receive signals from, multiple base-stations. Another reason is that the previous methods take no account of the practical fact that, during communication, many mobile stations are not connected to the best base-stations but, due to timers and realistic scan measurement times, often experience less than optimal connections for communication. This affects the amount of noise seen by CDMA receivers in the system and in turn the power control settings at the base-station.
Thus, a need exists for an accurate method of characterizing coverage and loading in a CDMA communication system to provide improved system control.